Pickle canning machine



Dec. 25, 1956 R. H. ECKART PICKLE CANNING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet l Filed July :51, 1955 R O @n m E V m ATTORNEYS Dec. 25, 1956 R. H. ECKART PICKLE CANNING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 31, 1953 INVENTOR /Faezilaarl ATTORNEYS Dec. 25, 1956 R. H. ECKART 2,775,268

PICKLE CANNING MACHINE Filed July 51, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTGR lax/27M ATTORN E YS Dec. 25, 1956 R. H. ECKART 2,775,258

PICKLE CANNING MACHINE i Filed July 31; 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR frgefzfidarf www ATTORNEYS p p 2,775,268 Pickin CANNING MACHINE Robert H. Eckart, Corydon, Ind., assignor to Food Packers, Inc., Corydon, Ind., a corporation of Indiana `Application rulysl, i953, serial No. 371,615

14 claims. (cl. 4141-48)` The present invention relates in general to container filling` and compacting machines, and more particularly to machines for mechanically advancing a' plurality of containers and compacting `in the same elongated food commodities such as pickles andthe like.

An object of the present invention is the provision of novel apparatus for feeding and compacting elongated food `commodities into a plurality of intermittently ad vanced containers.

'Another object of the present invention is the provision of novel apparatus for mechanically feeding and compacting elongated food commodities such ias pickles and the like intointermittently advanced containers, in erect position within the containers.

Another object of the present invention isv the provision of a novel machine for compacting elongated food commoditiesinto intermittently advanced containers, wherein the elongated commodities are continuously fed in parallel groups of end-to-end aligned commodities simultaneously to a plurality of containers.

Another object of the invention is the provision of av novel machine for advancing and filling containers with elongated food commodities, having means controlling the United States Patent O ICS Figure 7 is a fragmentary transverse section view of the container chucks taken along the lines 7-7 of Figure 2; and

Figure 8 is a vertical transverse section taken along the lines 8 8 of Figure 6.

The present invention relates in general and is directed Vto a machine for automatically filling jars or other con- `in the reverse direction during feeding of the commodities to the container, and means for vibrating the containers along their axes during rotation of the same, the latter two means serving to pack the elongated commodities in erect position against the walls of the container through centrifugal force and tamping; action. Additional means are incorporated in the system to control the supply supply of the commodities to the machinein accordance l with the quantity of commodities deposited in the ma- 1 chine.

Other objects, advantages and capabilities of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, showing only a preferred embodiment ofthe invention. t

In the drawings: t

Figure 1 is a front elevation the present invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of `the machine viewed from the left-hand side of Figure l and in which parts of the feed drum are broken away and parts of the feed and container supporting mechanism are illustrated in section;

Figure 3 is a rear elevation of the machine;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary section view of a `portion of the machine taken along the lines 4-4 `of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary section view of the spring idlers and associated portions of the machine taken along the linesS-S of Figure 2;

VFigure 6 isa section view taken along the lines 6-6 of. Figure 2 and illustrating the mechanism for tamping `the containers;

of commodities to the supply means in accordance with the `quantities of commodities already deposited in the supply means, and means associated with the endless conveyor means for receiving and holding containers of various sizes and shapes.

The invention will be more fully understood from the following detail description, referring to the drawings wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several figures. The machine of the present invention, which in the preferred embodiment to be now described is specifically designed for packing jars with pickles, is indicated generally by the reference character 10, and is provided with an intermittent conveyor generally indicated at 11 for supporting and advancing the container jars, indicated at 12, the conveyor 11 being Patented Dec. 2,5, 1956 supported on a table-like machine support 13. To this t end, the conveyor 11 comprises a driven sprocket 14 and an idler sprocket 15 disposed on opposite sides of the supporting table 13 and journaled for rotation in a plane rearwardly and upwardly inclined to the horizontal on a driven shaft 16 and idler shaft 17, respectively, journaled in suitable bearings 18 carried by laterally projecting elements 13a extending from and forming a part of the supporting table 13. Rigidly fixed on the driven shaft 16 is a ratchet 19 cooperating with a pawl and pawl carrier 20 journaled on the driven shaft 16 for rotation about the axis of said shaft. The pawl assembly 20 is pivotally coupled through an adjustable connecting rod 21 to a crank arm 22 fixed to the shaft 23 of a gear reduction unit 24, which in turn is driven by a belt and pulley coupling 25 with the armature shaft 26a projecting from an electric motor 26.

Trained about the driven sprocket 14 and idler sprocket 15 is an endless chain 27 comprising link units 28 consisting of a spaced pair of elongated parallel link elements 28a, 281), interspaced by link units 29 consisting of t Vtainer-gripping chuck assemblies 31.

The chuck assemblies 31, as illustrated in Figures 2, 6 and 7, each consist of an upwardly opening cylindrical receptacle 32 having cylindrical side walls 33 preferably formed of sheet material supported from a circular base v'34 having a downwardly projecting abutment.disclrlon` `in the container by means of four binding strips 36 extending-.frorn the base 434.parallel .tothe axis of the/,re-

ceptacle 32 to `the lipyof. the receptacle .-and.,riveted or` otherwise fixed to the side walls 33 thereof at diametrically opposed points. TheA .rubber `liner -therefore .forms a circle at the top of the cylinder ,whichl graduates -into` al square cross section approximately two inches below, thesides ofthe square corresponding to chords of the .circular cross .sectionof the receptacle, which resiliently grip the ycontainers 12 .to-be :inserted-therein and,

firmly hold the same inthe ,chuckreceptaclei 32.

Projecting downwardly from.,the.base.,34of the chuck receptacle .32 l.is Ja shaftA 37 -to be .disposed throughfthe apertures 30. in thelinks of .the endless chain .27. A pulley 38 is keyed to the Vshaft 3,7 at 1.a point ,below the linksof .the .endless chain, which lpulley 38 is continuous-k ly, biased ,to its uppermost limit of travel by ,a 4coil spring39 bearing at one `end against the pulley 38 ,and its other end against a cap 40vfixed to the lower. end of the shaft 37.

`As will .be apparent from an inspection ofFigures 1, 2.and 3 vof the drawing, the containers 12 carried by the upper reach of Vthe endless chain 27 extend through the hollow bore of afeed drum 41, by which the pickles are gravity-fed in parallel groups of end-to-end aligned pickles into the upwardly opening mouths of the containers located within `the bore of the drum. The drum 4'1-is continuously rotated ina counter-clockwise direction as viewed in Figure 2, and tothis end restson a pair of laterally spaced endless belts 42l trained about idler pulleys 43 and driven pulley 44.-,arranged at opposite sides of the center of the drum 4 1. The driven pulleys 44 are each fixed on a transverse. driven shaft 45 kjournaled in suitable bearings 46, one end of `the shaft 45 projecting beyond one `of the bearings 46 Vand having a largepulley 47. A continuous drivingV torque is applied .to thepulley 47 to rotate -the rdriven pulleys 44 and thedrum 41 by means ofa lV-belt 48 trained about the pulley 47 and about a driving pulley 49 mounted on a tranverse main drive shaft v50l1aving a large ,pulley 51 intercoupled .through a V-belt 52 with .a drive pulley 53 on. Athe drive shaft 26a of the electric motorz26.

The drum 41 is .formed of a cylindrical wall 55 bounded by diverging annular side walls 5,6, between which a plurality of vane assemblies 57 extend. The; vane assemblies each comprise `a radial supporting plate 58 weldedor otherwise liixedto the inner .surface `of the cylindrical wall 55, to ythe innermost -end'of lwhich a pivoted vane plate 59 is ,hinged by hinges .60. A tripping rod or finger .61 is welded to the hinged vaneplate 59 adjacent one lateral `edge-,thereof and projects inwardly of and beyondfthe adjacent `annular sidewall ..5 6to strike afixed tripping lug A62carried by one .of two fixed annular sectorplatesg disposed outwardlyof eachzside of the drum 41 and supported ;at `their1lower endsupon rigid uprights 13b extending from the supporting'table.

13. A corrugated chute ;64 ofsubstantially,,the width of the vane` assemblies k57 yis disposed inside :the 4drum 41 with its outer end adjustably-supported vadjacentfthe tripping llug y62 atthe upperend ofthe annular sector.

plates y63 by meansfbolts ,65 .Kon-the chute 6,4 extending through slots63a.;in=the sectoraplates 1,63: The.cor

rocker arm 67 projecting below the bearing 69 is provided with a coil spring 70 disposed between the bear-r ing 69 and an annular flange 67a on the rocker arm to urge the rocker arm downwardly, and with a roller or cam follower 71 bearing upon a cam 72 mounted on a transverse cam shaft 73 which also carries a pulley 74 driven by means of a '-Vfbeltfl75 trained around the same and abouta pulley 76 on Ythe main drive shaft 50. Pickles aregravity fed to the drum 4'1"by` means of any conventional conveyor means, `preferably `by'an endless'.`

belt conveyor, generallygindicated `at 77, mounted ont-a cantilever arm and projectinginto the hollow of the drum 41; the free endl of theendless belt conveyor 77 terminating approximately midwayi'ofthe sides 56 of the drum 41 so that the pickles drop off of the end of the conveyor 77 into the receptacles defined between successive vane assemblies 57 and the divergent annular side walls 5 6 of the drum. v

Mechanismv is provided .to vspin the container gripping chucks 32 located within the drum 41 a pluralityfof turns at high speed in lone ydirection and` a plurality fof turns in the reverse direction `during the jinterval .between intermittent advancement of the chucks. This mechanism includes a double V-belt 78 guidedv -alongside the.l

Vabeltpulley 78 `is trained over the ,idler-pulleys l79 and, a plurality vof idler. pulleys` 80A journalednin -the lower. portion of the supporting table13, andthence. over...ia'

large .radius oscillatory drive .pulleyf81fixediona shaft 82 which also carries a ,small radius pinion 8 3. Thesmall radius-pinion .83 cooperates witha-rack 84 pivotal- 1y coupled at one end thereof to a crank arm .85 mounts ed on cthe shaft 23 .of the gear,- reduction unit 24 and .ex-

tending `in diametricallyY opposed relationsto ,the ,crankvv `arm 22 to which pawl-actuating,connectinggrod 21;.is.

pivoted. By this arrangement, the oscillatory drive 'pully 81 is-rotated .first in one directionand then ,in anotherA direction to drive the double V-belt 78. and-spin thechuck.

assemblies 31 vduringa full cycle ;of;movement of. the rack 84 comprising a forward `andra reverse;;stroke.dur1ng the-,period between successive actuations .of the pawlassembly k20 `to drive the ratchet 19 iand driven l,sprocket14.'. The portion of the'double V- beltpulley 7,81extending. between the idler pulleys'79-isfresiliently ,urged yinto fric tional driving contact withfthepulleys-38 Aof thechuck assemblies 31v by meansof spring .loaded yidler :pulleys 86 bearing against ,the beveled portion of the belt 78 opposite .thatincontact with 4the chuck `pulleys 38,-the spring `loaded idler pulleys 86 being freely journaled Jon pivoted supporting arms 87 which are spring biased. to.- ward ,the belt y781byhmeans of .compression.,springsff-S in compressed :condition between 'thel .pivotedsupporting, arms `87 and .a wall89 of `anuopen endedidleraplllleyI housing Qtlsurrounding the .group of: idler pulleysathe t belt 78, and the portions of the chuck assembliesa31pprojecting below the links of the endless chain127.r

To lassist in guiding and lstabilizingthe 1endlesshain 27 during its movement through thefeeddrumsAxl; the.

housing 90.-is Vvprovided with .a fwall` 91-,opposite vand parallelzto. thewall 89, both :the xwalls f91:-'.an'dr89.v Aextendingto a Y point aligned approximatelyswith rthe :medial plane of the portion of'atheendlesschain .27 extending :through: the drum and each having guide iianges 92 extending-to`v Ward the chain 27 and. into grooves rformeddin thewopposite sidessthereof by ,reason of .the :link .elements l 28a :and

28h being of'greaterwidth .than link-.elements 29a:

Means are Aalso vprovided for jogging. the chucksasscmblies J351' andA the containers .12 .held therein in the-.ditrec-fy tion of the axes of the chuck assembles. 3.1 during=spin' ning Vofbthe sameicomp-rising aijoggingi-fbar-93 extending: transversely throughvthe drum. .41 and .having .oppsitelyw beveled ends 93a, the jogging bar 93 beingapositionedi to engage the caps 40 on the lower end of the chuck assembly shafts 37 and carn the same upwardly into supported relation on the bar 93 when the chuck assemblies are within `the drum 41. The ends of the jogging bar 93 are each supported by control rods 94 extending through and supported `for rectilinear movement by brackets 95 on the supporting table uprights 13b. The lower ends of the control rods 94 are pivotally coupled to arms 96, which in turn are pivotally supported on the table 13. The lower ends of the control rods 94 also carry cam followers or rollers 97 bearing against cams 98 fixed to ajtransverse shaft 99 journaled for rotation on the horizontal supporting surface of the table 13, which shaft carries a pulley 101 drivingly coupled by a V-belt 102 with a pulley `103 on themain transverse drive shaft 50.

Means are also provided for selectively terminating feeding of the pickles to the `drum 41 for an appropriate period of time when the weight of pickles carried by the t drum 41 exceeds a preselected limit. To this end, the bearings 46 supporting the shaft 45 carrying the driven pulleys 44 for the endless belt 42 on which the drum is supported are mounted on elongated blocks 105 which are pivotally supported at the end supporting the bearings 46 on the table 13, as indicated at 106. A transverse shaft 107 supporting the idlerpulleys 43 about which the belts 42 are trained is journaled in bearings 108 which in turn are supported on the `elongated blocks 105 adjacent their free ends, these ends of the blocks 105 being resiliently supported by a compression spring and supporting collar 109 and by a micro switch 110. The micro switch may `be normally maintained in open position by adjusting the tension of the spring support 109 to support the elongated blocks 105 in elevated position for normal loads of picklesin the drum 41 so that the force of the spring 109 will be overcome sufficient to actuate the micro switch` 110 only when the weight of pickles in the drum 41`exceeds a preselected level. i The micro switch 110 will preferably control the electrical supply to the coil of a normally closed relay or like device, the contacts of which are in series circuit relation with the energizing circuit of an electric motor or other driving means for the endless conveyor belt 77. Thus so long as the micro switch 110 is closed, the contacts of the relay will be open-circuited, `terminating driving ofthe endless conveyor belt 77.

As illustrated in FiguresY 1 and 2, an inclined chain guide strip 111 is provided adjacent the forwardmost reach of the endless chain`27 to be received in the groove defined between the link elements 28a and 28h and guide the endless chain 27 between the sprockets 14 and 15.

The operation of the above device is" substantially as follows. Assuming jars or other pickle containers`12 are frictionally seated in the receptacles 32 of the chuck` assemblies 31, rotation of the shaft 23 and `crank arm 22 ofthe gear reduction unit 24, driven by the motor 26 and its output shaft 26a, imparts reciprocal motion to the connecting rod 21 and pawl assembly 20, to` oscillate the pawl 20 about the driven shaft 16. The connecting rod 21 is adjusted to an appropriate length such that the pawl 20 engages and drives the teeth of the ratchet 19 only during the portion of rotation of the drive shaft 23 and crank arm 22 during which no drive is imparted to the oscillatory drive pulley 81 by the rack 84 and pinion 83. The lengthof the stroke of the pawl 20 is also adjusted so that the step by step drive imparted to the shaft 16 and driven sprocket 14 is just sufficient to advance one of the chuck assemblies 31 and containers 12from one of the concave troughs 66 of the feed chute 64 to the next adjacent concave trough. `I During the interval between successive actuation of the :sprocket 19 by the pawl 20, the oscillatory drive V,81 is rotated a number of turns at high speed in "one irectionand then a number of turns in the opposite 6 direction through the rack 84 engaging the pinion 83 and driven by the crank arm 85 on the shaft 23 of the gear reduction unit 24. This reciprocal driving` action of the oscillatory driving pulley 81 is transmitted through the double V-belt 78 to the pulleys 38 of the chuck assemblies 31 located within the drum 41, the belt being urged` t into intimate frictional engagement with the pulleys 38 located `within the drum 41 by means of the spring loadedv idler pulleys 86 pivotally supported on the arms 87.

Also, the chuck assemblies whose caps 40 are resting on the jogging bar 93 `are jogged along their axes continuously during the operation of the machine through the joggingmotion imparted to the` jogging bar 93 through their control rods 94 and cam followers 97 resting on the cams 98. The cam shaft 99 supporting the cams" 98 is inturn continuously driven through the V-belt 102 trained about the pulley 101 on the cam shaft 99 and a pulley 103 on the main drive shaft 50 which is continuously driven by the belt 52 trained about its pulley 51 and the pulley 53 on the armature shaft 26a of the motor 26. The jogging action arising from thejmovement of the bar. 93 occurs not only at the end of the up-stroke of the bar 93 but also at the down-stroke. This arises by virtue of the fact that a shoulder on the pulley 38 extends to a point near the lower surface of the link elements 28b and 29h and is disposed to abut a hardened washer 37a near the endof `the, up-stroke of the bar 93, and the projecting portion 34a of the chuck 32 is disposed to engage a hardcned washer 37b and jar the chuck near the end of the down-stroke of the jogging bar 93.

Jogging action is also applied continuously to the lower end of thefeed chute 64 through the rocker arm 67 supporting the same and having a cam follower 71 on the lower end thereof riding on the continuously driven cam 72 on shaft 73, the shaft73 being driven by the belt 75 trained about the pulley 74 on the shaft 73 and a pulley 76 on the main drive shaft 50. Such jogging of the chute 64 serves to align `the pickles in end to end relation in the plurality of concave troughs 66 and feed them under the influence of gravity into the upwardly opening mouths of the containers 12 disposed adjacent the lower end of the chute 64 inalignment with the troughs.

Pickles which are dumped from the end of the endless conveyor 77 into the bottom of the drum 41 are conveyed to the trough in the following manner.` Since the drum 41 is rotatedin a counter-clockwise direction as viewed in Figure 2, the pickles in the portion of the drum 41 lying `between two successive vane assemblies 57 are elevated into juxtaposition with the upper end of the trough 64 by the lowermost of the vane assemblies between which the pickles lie. As the pivoted vane 59 reaches a point` of alignment with the upper end of the trough 64, the vane tripping linger 61 engages the fixed tripping lug 62 projecting inwardly from the xed annular sector plate 63 to tilt the pivoted vane 59 about the hinge 60 as the drum 41 continues to rotate and transfer all the pickles in that sector of the drum to the chute 64. t

It will be apparent that any pickles which are barred admission to the containers 12 by reason of misalignment or because of contact with `pickles already in the container will merely fall by the containers and chuck assemblies into the lower portion ofthe drum 41 and be elevated into position to be fed to subsequent containers. It will further be apparent that the jogging of the chuck assemblies assists materially in compacting the pickles toward the bottom of the containers 12, and that the spinning of the containers in first one and then a reverse direction during feeding of the same tends to centrifugally compact the pickles toward the outer walls of the con-` tainers and aligns them in erect position about the axis,

tainers-except in-very-rare instances, thus drastically reducing the labor-heretofore required in packaging pickles.

While 'but one `particular embodiment of the'invention hastb'een particularly shown and described, it is apparent that'variou's modiiicationsmay'be made in the invention Without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and itis desired, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereon as are 'imposed by lthe lprior art and are set forth in* the-appended claims.

LWhat is clairne'dis:

*INA-machine for fillingfcontainers with food cornmodies-and thelike comprising a food commodity supply sttiongmean's'for intermittently advancing a plurality of containers' sequentially by said station in commodity-receivingvv relationthereto, and means for rapidly spinning the containers adjacent s'aid station a plurality of turns forwardlyand' reversely aboutY an vaxis extending through saidA containers during the period between intermittent advancement of saidl containers.

" `2.' Amachine for filling containers with food commoditiesandthe like comprising a food commodity supplyl station, meansv forv intermittently advancing a plurality:oflcontainers sequentially by said station in commodity-receiving rel-ation thereto,lnneansV for rapidly spinning ithe-con'tainers adjacent said station a yplurality of turns in one direction and a plurality of turns in a reverse direction about an axis extendingthrough said containers duringwthel period `between intermittent advancement of saidy containersfandfmeans for jogging the containers-adjacent said vstation inthe direction of said axis continuously during'spinning of the same.

3. A'machine forilling containers with elongated food commodities-suchV as pickles and the like comprising a food:` commodity 'supply station,V means for intermittently advancingv a pluralityof upwardly opening containers sequentially by said station :in commodity-receiving relation`-thereto, and means for spinning the containers adjacentA said-station at high lspeed a plurality of turns in one directionfand a pluralityof'turns in a reverse direction about theaxes of said containers during the period between intermittent advancement `of said containers.

4. A machineifor filling containers with elongated food commodities such aspickles andthe like comprising a food commodity. supply station, means for intermittently advancing Ia plurality of upwardly opening containers sequentiallyby7 said station in'. commodity-receiving yrelation thereto; and lmeans* adjacentl said vstation for spinning the adjacentcontainers. vabout `theirmedial axes at high speed@ apluralityofv turns .in one direction and a plurality lof turns .in a reverse Jdirection` during the period betweenslintermittent advancement of said containers.

5. A machine for feeding and compacting food commodities intocontainers comprising a foo'dcommodity supply station," means for intermittently,advancing4 a plurality of opencontainers sequentially by said station in commodity-*receiving relation thereto, means for feeding foodl `commodities from said supply station into thev containersadjacent the same,'rmeansvfor spinning said` containers athigh` speedin one direction andy then in the reversedirection about the ,axes of said containers intermediate intermittent advancement of said containers, and means for` jogging said containers in the direction of their axes` continuously during spinning of said containers.

' 6;"A machine'for feeding and compactingtelongated Lfo'o'd commodities kinto containers comprising a food commodity supply.'` psta'tion,' means" for intermittently advancing" plurality" ofr open containers' sequentially by said-statiori^ in""c"omm'o'dity,receiving relation thereto,

'meansf'for gravityfeedingl' food'commodities in end-'toend aligned relation from said supply station into the containers adjacent the same, means for spinning saidcontainers at high speed in one direction and then in therever'se direction aboutthe axes of said containers inter-` mediate kintermittent advancement of said containers to centrifugally urge the food commodities Iin said containers-i'n erect position outwardly ofthe same, and'means for` jogging said containers in the direction of their'axes continuously during spinning of said containers.

7. A machine for feeding and compacting elongated food commodities such as pickles and the like into containers comprising a food commodity supply station, means for intermittently advancing a plurality of upwardly openingcontainers sequentially by said station in commodity-receiving relation thereto including rotatably supported chuck means for frictionally gripping each container, means for feeding food commodities in parallel groups of end-to-end aligned commodities from said supply station simultaneously into a plurality of the containers adjacent the same, and means-engagingsaid chuck means only when the sameare adjacent said supply station for spinning each of said chuck means operatively engagedthereby at high speed in one direction and then in the reverse direction about the aXis of each of said engaged chuck means during each period intermediate intermittent advancement of said containers to centrifugally urge the lfood` commodities in said containers outwardly of the same.

8. A machine for feeding and compacting elongated food commodities such,` as pickles andthe like into containers,y comprising a food commodity supply station, meansfor intermittently advancing aplurality of upwardly opening containers lsequentially by said station in commodityfreceiving relation thereto yincluding rotatably supported lchuck means for frictionally gripping each container, means for feeding food 'commodities in parallel 'groups of end-to-end aligned commodities from said supply station'sirnultaneously into a plurality of the containers adjacent the same, means frictionally engaging said Vchuck rneansgonly when the same are adjacent said supply station-for spinning saidv engaged chuck means at'high speed in one direction and vthen in'the reverse `direction Vabout thesaxis of each Vof said engaged chuck means duringeach periodV intermediate `intermittent ,ad- `vancement of `said containers to centrifugallyV urge the food commodities in said containers outwardly of ,the same, and means engaging said chuck means only when the same are adjacent saidsupply station for jogging said chuck means in the direction oftheir-axes continuously during spinning of said chuck means., V

V9. A` machine for feeding and compacting elongated food commodities such as picklesandthe like into containers comprising-'inclined chute means having-a plurality of parallel guide troughs therein for guiding food commodities transferred thereto in' parallel groups of end-to-end alignedcommodities, rotary means for elevating the commodities yto a position to be gravity discharged onto the uppermostportion of said chute means, means for intermittently advancing a'plurality o-frupwardly opening containers sequentially by the lowermost end of ysaid chute means in commodity receiving relation thereto, means vfor spinning` said containers at high speed in one direction and then in theV reverse direction about the axes 'of said containers during each period intermediate intermittent advancement of said containers, and means for jogging said containers-in the direction ofv their axes continuously during spinning of said containers;

10. A machinefo-r feeding `and compacting elongated food commodities such as pickles and the like into containers comprising inclined chute means having. a. plu- ,rality of parallel guide troughs therein for guiding food commodities transferred thereto in parallel groups vof end-to-end aligned commodities, rotary meansfor elevating ythe commodities to a positionto be gravity dis'- cha'rged onto the uppermost portion of said chute means,

endless conveyor means having chuck means rotatably carried thereby for frictionally gripping and supporting a plurality of containers, means driving sald endless conveyor means ifor intermittently advancing said containers to sequentially dispose a plurality of said containers in commodity-receiving relation relative to said chute means, means for vibrating said chute means to gravity feed the commodities along said chute and transfer the same into said containers, and means engaging said chuck means only when the same are adjacent said chute means for spinning said chuck means at high speed in one direction and then in the reverse direction about the axis of said chuck means during each periodintermediate intermittent advancement of said containers to centrifugally urge the food commodities in said containers in erect position outwardly of the same.

Il. A machine for feeding andcompacting elongated food commodities such as pickles and the like -into containers comprising a continuously rotated, open-ended drum having internally opening receptacle portions therein for receiving and elevating food commodities supplied thereto to a discharge station, inclined chute means located internally of said drum and disposed adjacent said discharge station to receive food commodities from said drum, said chute means having a plurality of parallel guide troughs for receiving and guiding the commodities transferred thereto in end-to-end aligned relation along parallel paths, endless conveyor means extending through said drum and having chuck means rotatably supported thereon for frictionally gripping and supporting a plurality `of containers, driving means for said endless conveyor means for intermittently advancing said chuck means to successively dispose groups of said containers in commodity-receiving relation with said chute means, means for vibrating said chute means to gravity rfeed the commodities thereon down the incline of said chute means and into said containers, and means engaging said chuck means only when the same are adjacent said chute means for spinning said chuck means at high speed in one direction and then in the reverse direction about the axis of said chuck means intermediate intermittent advancement of said containers to centrifugally urge the food commodities in said `containers in erect position outwardly of the same. j

12. A machine for feeding and `compacting elongated food commodities such as `pickles `and the like into containers comprising a continuously rotated, open-ended drum having internally opening receptacle portions therein `tor receiving and elevating food commodities supplied i thereto to a disch arge station, inclined chute means located guide troughs for receiving and guiding the commodities transferred thereto in end-to-end aligned relation along parallel paths, endless `conveyor means extending through `said drum and having chuck means rotatably supported thereon for frictionally gripping and supporting a plurality of containers, driving means for said endless conveyor means for intermittently advancing said chuck means to successively dispose groups of said containers in commodity-receiving relation with said chute means,

means for vibrating said chute means to gravity feed the commodities thereon down the incline of said chute means and into said containers, means trictionally engaging said chuck means only when the same are adjacent said chute meansfor spinning said chuck means at high speed in one direction and then in the reverse direction about the axis of said chuck means intermediate intermittent advancement of Vsaid containers to centrifugally urge the food commodities in said containers outwardly of the same, and means engaging said chuck means only when the same are adjacent said chute means for jogging said chuck means in the direction of' their axes continuously during spinning of said chuck means.

13. In a machine for feeding and compacting elongated f food commodities such as pickles and the like into con taincrs, the'combination recited in claim ll wherein said open-ended drum comprises a cylindrically curved Wall of sheet material bounded at each lateral edge by diverging annular side wall portions defining therebetween a commodity receiving trough, and a plurality of transverse vane assemblies are provided `within said trough section and extending between said side walls, said vane assemblies comprising a fixed transverse vane member xed to said cylindrically curved wall and a pivoted vane wall hinged to said fixed vane wall and having a shape con forming substantially to the transverse cross section of said trough, and wherein an inwardly projecting arm is rigidly fixed to said pivoted vane walland a tripping lug is fixedly positioned on said machine to be engaged by said projecting arm during rotation of said drum to tilt said pivoted vane wall about its hinged connection with said xed vane wall.

14. In a machine for feeding and compacting elongated food commodities such as pickles and the like into containers, the combination recited in claim 7 wherein said means for spinning said chuck means comprises a driven pulley, endless belt means trained over said pulley and trictionally engaging said chuck means, a continuously driven shaft having a pair of oppositely radiating crank arms thereon, and rack and pinion means intercoupling said driven pulley with one of said crank arms whereby the reciprocal motion imparted to the rack drives said driven pulley a number of turns in one direction and then a number of turns in the reverse direction, and wherein said means for advancing said containers comprises a driving sprocket, shaft means for said sprocket, a ratchet fixed to said shaft means, pivoted pawl means operatively associated with said ratchet, and connecting rod means pivotally intercoupling said pawl means with the other of said crank arms, said pawl means being actuated in outof-phase relation with rotation of said driven pulley to drive said `sprocket and advance said containers intermediate successive spinning of said containers in opposite directions.

References Cited in the tile ofthis patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 458,639 Norton et al. Sept. 1, 1891 1,343,091 Shearer June 8, 1920 2,379,230 Griffin June 26, 1945 

